Travel Arrangements
God's work. Our hands.
By air
Instructions for voting members or advisory members
The ELCA utilizes Best Travel for assembly travel. We encourage you to book your airfare online, which will save this church $14 per ticket. Please plan your travel arrangements accordingly and allow one and a half hours for transportation from the airport to the hotel. To make airline reservations, follow these simple instructions. (Step-by-step instructions with screenshots are also available for download here. 
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- Direct your Web browser to https://elcagroups-bestres.reardencommerce.com
- Select "Create a new account."
- Enter "CWA 2009" as the meeting name in order to create a valid account. Complete the remainder of the form and then click Create an Account.
- Once an account has been created, you will receive an e-mail from Rearden Commerce with the subject line "Start using your Rearden Personal Assistant now." From this e-mail, click Get started now. [Note: To prevent this e-mail from ending up in your bulk/spam folder, please add notifier@reardencommerce.com to your contacts.]
- Create your personal profile.
- Book your airline reservation. It is ELCA policy that you select the lowest available airfare.
If you are a voting member or advisory member to the Churchwide Assembly, your travel will be paid by the ELCA. You will not need to select any method of payment, nor will you need to enter credit card information of any kind.
Please note: Rearden’s Web site will allow the selection of upgrades, including mileage, electronic, and premium seating. If you are not eligible for these upgrades, you will be billed for the cost difference by the Churchwide Assembly.
If you are making arrangements for more than one person with the same e-mail address, call Best Travel at 800-543-8016 between 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Central Daylight Time), Monday through Friday.
Please make travel arrangements before July 15, 2009.
Instructions for other guests, visitors
To book airfare for someone who may be accompanying you, complete all of the steps above, beginning with step 1. You will need to create a new profile name with a different e-mail address for each person that is traveling. If you want to be on the same flight and be seated together, make sure the flight numbers and times match. Select the flight by choosing “Seat Map,” at which point you will be able to select seats that are located together. Also, include the name of the person with whom you wish to be seated in the “Special handling instructions” box found on the final page, just prior to purchasing the ticket. If this person is not a voting or advisory member, you will need to enter a credit card, which will be charged for the cost of the ticket.
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By car
Instructions for voting members traveling by car
Voting and advisory members of the assembly who are driving will be reimbursed at the current IRS rate for mileage, along with the cost of tolls and parking, up to the amount of the lowest available advance airfare. In no case may this reimbursement exceed $300, however, if round-trip airfare between your home and Minneapolis costs $250 and the costs involved for you to drive are $350, you will be reimbursed $250 in travel costs. You must attach original receipts, including parking, tolls, etc., to your expense report for reimbursement. Expense report forms will be available online following the conclusion of the assembly.
For those driving to Minneapolis, parking is available at each of the hotels for approximately $10–20 per day. Please note that these rates are subject to change. For those planning to drive, consider carpooling with others to cut down on fuel emissions. You will receive an additional 5 cents per mile, above the IRS mileage rate, for transporting additional voting or advisory members to the assembly.
Cars will not be needed during the Churchwide Assembly.
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Not sure whether to drive or fly?
Voting and advisory members of the assembly who are driving will be reimbursed at the current IRS rate for mileage, along with the cost of tolls and parking, up to the amount of the lowest available advance airfare. In no case may this reimbursement exceed $300, however, if round-trip airfare between your home and Minneapolis costs $250 and the costs involved for you to drive are $350, you will be reimbursed $250 in travel costs. You must attach original receipts, including parking, tolls, etc., to your expense report for reimbursement. Expense report forms will be available online following the conclusion of the assembly.
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